The formation of the possibly carcinogenic process contaminant furan was studied in starch-based emulsions during heat treatments as applied for sterilization. Fresh and oxidized soybean, sunflower, high-oleic sunflower, olive, linseed and rapeseed oils were compared. Results indicated that both the oil type, in particular the fatty acid composition, and the oxidation degree of the oil determined the susceptibility of the oils to generate furan upon heating. Thus, oils containing the nutritionally relevant ω-3 unsaturated α-linolenic acid proved to be able to generate significant amounts of furan if the oils were oxidized. No clear relationship between p-anisidine values of various oils and the amount of generated furan could be observed. However, in the case of soybean oil, significantly more furan was produced upon an increase in an oxidation degree. Surprisingly, furan formation in food-relevant systems containing fresh lipids proved to be a minor route (up to 1.5 ppb furan), compared to a previously studied vitamin C containing model system (up to 13 ppb furan).

@article{1046769,
abstract = {The formation of the possibly carcinogenic process contaminant furan was studied in starch-based emulsions during heat treatments as applied for sterilization. Fresh and oxidized soybean, sunflower, high-oleic sunflower, olive, linseed and rapeseed oils were compared. Results indicated that both the oil type, in particular the fatty acid composition, and the oxidation degree of the oil determined the susceptibility of the oils to generate furan upon heating. Thus, oils containing the nutritionally relevant \ensuremath{\omega}-3 unsaturated \ensuremath{\alpha}-linolenic acid proved to be able to generate significant amounts of furan if the oils were oxidized. No clear relationship between p-anisidine values of various oils and the amount of generated furan could be observed. However, in the case of soybean oil, significantly more furan was produced upon an increase in an oxidation degree. Surprisingly, furan formation in food-relevant systems containing fresh lipids proved to be a minor route (up to 1.5 ppb furan), compared to a previously studied vitamin C containing model system (up to 13 ppb furan).},
author = {Owczarek-Fendor, Agnieszka and De Meulenaer, Bruno and Scholl, Georges and Adams, An and Van Lancker, Fien and Yogendrarajah, Pratheeba and Uytterhoeven, Veronique and Eppe, Gauthier and De Pauw, Edwin and Scippo, Marie-Louise and De Kimpe, Norbert},
issn = {0021-8561},
journal = {JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY},
keyword = {unsaturated fatty acids,2-butenal,starch,simple baby food model system,furan,SPME-GC-MS,\ensuremath{\alpha}-linolenic acid,oils,lipid oxidation,IONIZING-RADIATION,VOLATILE COMPOUNDS,MASS-SPECTROMETRY,ASCORBIC-ACID,MODEL SYSTEMS,FOOD,METHYLFURAN,STORAGE},
language = {eng},
number = {17},
pages = {9579--9586},
title = {Importance of fat oxidation in starch-based emulsions in the generation of the process contaminant furan},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jf101671u},
volume = {58},
year = {2010},
}